Right tool for the right job

During the academic period, in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering, there are several software that we have contact with, some of them outdated or even obsolete, but it is with them that we learn to work and apply the knowledge that was/is passed on. Also, there are several subjects taught, which is difficult to acquire the necessary knowledge for when we embrace a professional challenge.

Speaking from experience, when I embraced a professional project, there were several tools presented, most of them unknown, which took me some time to adapt.

After some time working with the tools and sharing knowledge with my colleagues, I realized that there were much better tools that could increase both productivity and quality of my work, however, most of them were paid and expensive, which the company did not was willing to provide.

A few years later, I joined Adapttech’s Embedded System Team where they used to use tools completely different from those I was used to work with. It took me some time to learn and realize how powerful the tools were and how much they would simplify my work.

A great example was Altium Designer, a PCB and electronic design automation software for printed circuit boards. It is a strong tool that compared to the one I used to work with it has nothing to compare with. Kicad was free software that needed a lot of interactions to get an acceptable design, while in Altium, with half a dozen clicks you can get the same design in a 3D view. Also, Altium Designer includes a huge components library, which you just need to choose and drag into the design, while in Kicad there was a need to individually download or even design the components. In addition, Altium Designer has the ability to live display the quantities and value of components in pre-defined sellers.

KiCad

Altium Designer

Choosing the best tool to work with is not easy, much less when you work in a team, but if the company is available to invest in a powerful tool, for sure that the work will have more quality and the productivity of the team will increase.

Always choose the best tool for the right job!